<h4>Chapter 9: Confronting Men</h4>


    "Boom..."


    On the second floor of the shop, the powerful aura around Sylvus surged for nearly a quarter of an hour before finally calming down.


    "This Grade-Three Great Rejuvenation Pill is amazing."


    Sylvus opened his eyes, filled with joy.


    Although it was just a Grade-Three Great Rejuvenation Pill, it had propelled him to the rank of a Five-Star Mage.


    Moreover, he could still feel a residual power in his body, slowly nourishing him, making him grow stronger every moment.


    "Now that I''ve reached the Mage level, I can finally use some of the elixirs in the shop."


    Sylvus smiled slightly. ncing at the time, he realized it was already evening, and the shop had long since closed.


    He got up and headed outside, making his way directly to Men''s room.


    "Boss, do you need something?"


    Men, who had been sitting on his bed meditating, quickly stood up when he saw Sylvus enter.


    Earlier that day, Sylvus had given Men some brief instructions before heading upstairs, leaving Men curious but too afraid to ask questions.


    "Men, if I''m not mistaken, you should have quite a few magic crystals, right?"


    Sylvus asked with a smile.


    His reason for visiting Men was simple: he wanted the man to repay his debt.


    Since Men was now a member of the shop, Sylvus could have him retrieve the magic crystals.


    And even if Men tried to run, Sylvus could summon him back with just a thought.


    If Sylvus could get his hands on a million magic crystals, he''d finally be able to purchase the items in the system shop—especially the forbidden magic.


    "Uh... Boss, I-I don''t have any money."


    Men, who wasn''t foolish, immediately realized Sylvus'' intent. This wasn''t just about repayment—this was about pushing him out.


    But how could Men be willing to leave now?


    Just the room he was staying in was filled with rare magical materials. A single day of meditation in there was equivalent to a month of training outside. It was a treasure trove for cultivation.


    And Sylvus, at the very least, was a Mage Emperor. How could Men be willing to give up such an opportunity?


    On top of that, Men had spent the day inspecting the shop''s elixirs. He discovered that the pill he had taken, valued at a million magic crystals, wasn''t even the top-tier item. There were elixirs worth tens of millions of magic crystals in the shop.


    If those prices were urate, the elixirs had to be extraordinarily powerful.


    "No money? Are you sure?"


    "Boom..."


    The smile vanished from Sylvus'' face as his expression darkened, and he released a powerful wave of energy.


    "Bang..."


    "Ugh..."


    Men,pletely unprepared for such a brutal disy, was forced to his knees and immediately coughed up blood.


    "Boss, I-I truly don''t have any money left. I spent everything trying to cure my illness. I... ugh..."


    Men''s heart was filled with panic as he tried to exin, but Sylvus'' aura only intensified, forcing Men to spit up another mouthful of blood.


    "What level of power does the boss have? I''ve seen Nine-Star Mage Emperors before, but their aura wasn''t strong enough to make me cough up blood like this. Could it be...?"


    Men''s face was filled with terror as he looked at Sylvus.


    To possess an aura even more terrifying than that of a Nine-Star Mage Emperor, Sylvus could only be one thing: a RulerMage, a being of legend.


    The continent of Er hadn''t seen a Ruler Mage in over three thousand years, though countless legends about them persisted.


    It was said that a RulerMage could destroy the heavens and the earth with a single thought, reversing rivers and mountains, and wiping out millions with a mere gesture.


    Although Men knew these stories were exaggerated, there was no denying the unimaginable power of a RulerMage.


    Moreover, only someone of that caliber could possess such miraculous elixirs—elixirs that far outssed the effects of Grade-Nine potions.


    Could Sylvus truly be a Ruler Mage?


    If so, there was no way Men would ever leave. Clinging to such a powerful figure was his only choice.


    "Old man, don''t try any tricks on me. You said earlier that you had a million magic crystals. Now, you''re iming you don''t?"


    Sylvus narrowed his eyes as he spoke.


    If it weren''t for the fact that killing Men would saddle him with 50% of the debt, he would''ve already taken action.


    "B-Boss, to be honest, I lied before. I only said I had money because I was nning to run away. At the time, I didn''t know how powerful you were, and I thought I could escape without being caught."


    Men hesitated before speaking.


    Of course, this was a lie. But if he didn''t make something up, there would be no way to exin himself.


    While admitting this might damage his reputation, it was worth it if it meant following someone who could very well be a Ruler Mage. His reputation was a small price to pay.


    He was also betting that Sylvus wouldn''t kill him.


    After all, debtors held the power these days, and Men still owed Sylvus money.


    Still, Men found it odd that someone as powerful as Sylvus would care so much about a mere million magic crystals.


    "Are you telling the truth?"


    Sylvus took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on Men as killing intent filled the air.


    "Bang..."


    "B-Boss, I swear I''m telling the truth..."


    Under the weight of Sylvus'' killing intent, Men could no longer hold out.


    His body copsed onto the floor, trembling, veins bulging across his face.


    Sylvus remained silent for a few seconds before finally waving his hand, causing the oppressive atmosphere in the room to vanish.


    He turned and left, leaving behind only one finalmand: "Open the shop early tomorrow."